Coach Mike Schmid poses with the Division One trophy

English rugby chiefs confirmed on Monday that Rotherham will play in the Zurich Premiership next season.

The England Rugby Limited Board met again after it had been split 5-5 last Thursday over whether to award the club promotion, with Premier Rugby representatives asking for more information.

Rotherham, who finished top of the National League Division One, will take the place of Bristol who were relegated on the final day of the season after finishing bottom of the 12-team competition.

The National League One champions, who were controversially denied promotion last season, faced a comprehensive review of their eligibility for the top-flight.

But Premier Rugby was swayed on the thorny issue of primary tenancy of the club's ground, and agreed with the RFU's decision to sanction Rotherham's promotion to the top flight.

Rotherham chief Jim Kilfoyle will finally see his side take their place in the top flight

A statement read: "The Board of England Rugby Ltd have confirmed they have unanimously agreed that Rotherham Rugby Club have fully met the entry criteria and are therefore promoted to the Zurich Premiership for 2003-04.

"The ERL board wish to congratulate Rotherham and wish the club a successful campaign next season."

Rotherham coach Mike Schmid said the club was keen to put the events of the past two seasons behind it.

"Relief is the optimum word," he told BBC Radio Five Live.

"We met all the criteria by January and everything was ready to go.

"Personally I can't justify the way we were made to wait, but now we can finally move forward."

It was amazing the sense of relief when the news came through Jim Kilfoyle Rotherham chief executive

And the Canadian was confident that the initial decision of Premier Rugby to postpone the club's promotion would not lead to any bad blood.

"That would be wasted energy on our part," he said.

"We just want to get out and compete on the field to show that we deserve our place in the Premiership.

"It would have been nice to have had the announcement before, but the RFU backed us all the way and now we can just get on with it."

Rotherham chief executive Jim Kilfoyle said: "It was amazing the sense of relief when the news came through.

"There's never been any problem, just some last-minute clarification was needed."